Key Market Insights Geopolitical Limbo: Geopolitical risk remained a key driver across global commodity markets today. President Trump stated that th...
Articles
Naturally Resilient Crops Are Key to Drought Mitigation
Key Takeaways: Drought remains a major threat to global agricultural production, particularly in regions with limited rainfall and growing water scarcity...
Transportation Perspectives - 16 June
Key Takeaways: Peace at last in the Persian Gulf? Over the weekend, the U.S. announced and Iranian officials confirmed a peace agreement, with formal rati...
Black Sea Regional Analysis
Russian Grain Markets: 8-12 June 2026 The Russian grain market was highly volatile during the week. The export market, the primary driver of domestic price...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.1375/bushel, down $0.0175 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $5.96/bushel, up $0.0625 from yesterday's close.&nb...
Market Commentary: China Buying Rumors Lift Soybeans; Cattle Rise on Beef Demand Hopes
What You Need to Know Today: American and Mexican officials met Tuesday and will meet again Wednesday for another round of trade talks, where ag and energ...
New World Screwworm Spreading North
Since the first U.S. case of New World Screwworm (NWS) was confirmed on 3 June, USDA has confirmed 12 cases. The latest was confirmed in a sheep on 12 June...
Port of Chancay's Success Hinges on Inland Infrastructure
Key Takeaways: China has invested heavily in the Port of Chancay to strengthen trade links between South America and Asia. The port could reduce shipping...
Middle East, Mediterranean, and Africa Regional Analysis
Mediterranean/Middle East/North Africa/Africa – MEA Region Egypt Grain Situation Recap: Wheat stocks in Egypt are at good levels, with only limited...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins deteriorated to -$218/head last week, down $20 from the prior week as a softer Choice cutout combined with slightly lower fed cattle pr...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.155/bushel, up $0.0275 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $5.8975/bushel, up $0.0525 from yesterday's close.&nbs...
Market Commentary: CBOT Bounces on Iran Peace Deal Despite Bearish Long-Run Outlook
What You Need to Know Today: The U.S. and Iran agreed to a peace deal on Monday with the deal expected to be signed Friday in Switzerland. The memorandum...
New Agreements on Iran War and EU Tariffs, Questions Remain
The U.S. and Iran announced a framework peace deal. Crude oil futures dropped to $83.08, the lowest since early March. The breakthrough comes as President...
Vertical Farming: A Promising Concept Held Back by Economic Challenges
Key Takeaways: Vertical farming offers year-round production, reduced water use, and the ability to grow fresh produce closer to consumers. High electrici...
Mercosur Regional Analysis
Wheat Rainfall across most of Argentina's agricultural regions during the past week slowed the pace of 2026/27 wheat planting. Even so, planting progress h...
Peace Deal in Iran: What Does It Mean for Ags?
Early Sunday evening, President Trump and Iranian officials confirmed the two countries have agreed to a peace deal. The agreement notes the Strait o...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
The ongoing shift in ag commodity markets from bullish to bearish sentiments resulted in funds halving their all-ags net long last week, liquidating 330,00...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.1275/bushel, up $0.01 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $5.845/bushel, down $0.0225 from yesterday's close.&nbs...
Market Commentary: Quiet Trade Follows WASDE as Livestock Sector Faces Capacity Shifts
What You Need to Know Today: It was a quiet trading day across major agricultural commodities, with most contracts closing within 1 percent of the previou...
Policy Roundup: NWS, Section 122 Tariffs, and Dairy Producer Agenda
New World Screwworm Another day, another case of New World Screwworm. USDA has reported nine cases of New World Screwworm (NWS) in the U.S. Of the nine rep...
Regenerate, or not? You Get to Choose
It is easy to get overwhelmed by the debates surrounding farm policy and crop production, especially the current back-and-forth about regenerative agricult...
WASDE Soybeans - June 2026
USDA’s June outlook for 2026/27 U.S. soybean supply, use, and price projections is unchanged. U.S. soybean ending stocks are unchanged. The result is...
WASDE Corn - June 2026
USDA’s June outlook for 2026/27 U.S. corn is unchanged from last month. Slightly higher ending stocks for 2026/27 results in no change for the season...
WASDE Wheat - June 2026
USDA’s June outlook for 2026/27 reduced the U.S. average wheat yield by 0.5 bushels per acre to 47.0 bushels and ending stocks are reduced 18 million...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.1175/bushel, down $0.0725 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $5.8675/bushel, down $0.0075 from yesterday's close...
Market Commentary: June WASDE Light on Major Balance Sheet Changes
What You Need to Know Today: The June WASDE report was largely in line with expectations, with no major market-altering changes to the balance sheets. The...
Livestock Round Up: NWS and USMCA Renegotiation
USDA’s National Veterinary Services confirmed three new cases of New World Screwworm, including one in a calf in La Salle County, Texas, a goat in Te...
Transportation Perspectives - 11 June
Vessel supplies in the tanker sector are tightening as vessels are “disappearing” from the position list. There is some indication that the pos...
AP Quant: WASDE Vegoils
WPI offers the following PDF of key supply and demand tables and charts relating to the USDA’s latest WASDE report. This is not an all-inclusive comp...
AP Quant: WASDE Wheat
WPI offers the following PDF of key supply and demand tables and charts relating to the USDA’s latest WASDE report. This is not an all-inclusive comp...
AP Quant: WASDE Soybeans
WPI offers the following PDF of key supply and demand tables and charts relating to the USDA’s latest WASDE report. This is not an all-inclusive comp...
AP Quant: WASDE Corn
WPI offers the following PDF of key supply and demand tables and charts relating to the USDA’s latest WASDE report. This is not an all-inclusive comp...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.19/bushel, down $0.005 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $5.875/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close. ...
Market Commentary: The Return of Risk Premium
Key Market Insights Macro Markets: Inflation and Iran Reenter the Conversation Just when the grain trade had become comfortable focusing almost exclusively...
Then, Now and Next - Final Thoughts
Why read this? Because Mark Twain correctly noted that “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” One of the most successful c...
Celebrating Gary Blumenthal’s Retirement After a Storied Career
After more than 40 years serving the agricultural industry and leading World Perspectives, Inc., Gary Blumenthal is retiring. His career—which includ...
U.S. Soybean Exports Become More Diversified as Reliance on China Declines
Key Takeaways: China's rise to become the world's largest soybean importer reshaped global trade flows, but recent trade tensions have reduced its share o...
Black Sea Regional Analysis
Russian Grain Markets: 1-5 June 2026 During the week under review, the Russian grain market began showing the first signs of the new season. The shift beca...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.195/bushel, up $0.0075 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $5.8525/bushel, up $0.02 from yesterday's close. ...
Market Commentary: Pre-WASDE Stabilization Continues, But What Next?
What You Need to Know Today: Early Tuesday, the U.S. Energy Secretary said vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is rising in a “very meaningf...
China Market Analysis
Miscellaneous Initial excitement over China’s pledges to buy American farm products has faded, as no purchases have immediately materialized. USDA De...
E15 Moves to Senate
In January of this year, the House passed House Resolution 375, which established an E15 Rural Domestic Energy Council and directed the council to investig...
Waste Feedstock Constraints Revive Demand for Crop-Based Biofuels
Key Takeaways: Early U.S. biofuel policy relied primarily on crop-based feedstocks such as corn and vegetable oils. California's LCFS increased demand for...
Middle East, Mediterranean, and Africa Regional Analysis
Mediterranean/Middle East/North Africa/Africa – MEA Region Egypt’s currency has weakened in the past few weeks as higher energy costs related t...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins were essentially unchanged at -$201/head last week as a modest increase in the Choice cutout was offset by steady fed cattle prices. Th...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.1875/bushel, up $0.0125 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $5.8325/bushel, up $0.0325 from yesterday's close.&nb...
Market Commentary: Technical Trade Drives CBOT, Sends Wheat Higher and Soybeans Lower
What You Need to Know Today: After a volatile weekend with Israel and Iran launching attacks at each other, peace seems to have returned to the region aft...
EU Sovereignty Ruse; Imbalanced Views; USMCA Voices
EU Sovereignty Ruse For years politicians talked like banty roosters about Europe’s soft power leadership, with American leaders hoping that a strong...
Mexico’s Drought Accelerated the Growth of U.S. Corn Exports
Key Takeaways: Mexico's drought intensified from 2022 to 2024, with critically low reservoir levels in Sinaloa driving a sharp decline in corn production...
More Cases of Screwworm in Texas Confirmed
The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed two new cases of New World Screwworm (NWS). One was in Zavala County, Tex...
Mercosur Regional Analysis
Wheat Planting of the 2026/27 wheat crop continues at an exceptional pace, with 32.4 percent of the projected 6.5 million hectares already seeded. This rep...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds reducing net long positions across most of the major ag futures contracts for the third straight week. Funds reduce...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.175/bushel, down $0.07 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $5.8/bushel, down $0.0175 from yesterday's close. ...
Market Commentary: Strong Jobs Report Lowers Risk Appetite
What You Need to Know Today: Non-farm payrolls rose by 172,000 jobs in May, above economist expectations of 80,000 jobs. With the job market strong, the F...
Screwworm Updates; Executive Action on Import Enforcement; Bullish Jobs Report
Newworld screwworm Update The detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in Texas on Wednesday has been volatile for the cattle markets. The confirmation came...
The Great American Cotton Plan: Promise and Practicality
With considerable fanfare—and few specifics—USDA last week announced its Great American Cotton Plan for 2026-2031. Secretary Brooke Rollins and...
Man Behind the Curtain; Asia Reversal; Better Mousetrap
Man Behind the Curtain Hypocrisy is a feature and not a bug in politics, but it still deserves no mercy. EU trade minister Maros Sefcovic told Chinese Vice...
Market Commentary: New World Screwworm Appears in the U.S., Grains and Soy Sink
What You Need to Know Today: A case of New World Screwworm was detected in Texas, the first in the U.S. since 1966. With cases creeping closer to the U.S...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.245/bushel, down $0.07 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $5.8175/bushel, down $0.055 from yesterday's close.&nb...
U.S. and Global Soy Crush Forecasts
WPI recently completed an expansion of our methodology for estimating and forecasting U.S. and global soybean crushing margins. The new approach incorporat...
Transportation Perspectives - 4 June
Key Takeaways: The situation in the Persian Gulf is unchanged with any ceasefire still subject to interruptions from both U.S. and Iranian attacks. The St...
Livestock Roundup: Screwworm in Texas Problem
The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed a case of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Texas. This comes two days a...
Big Ag Understood
Bernie Sanders attracted attention this week by declaring AI a “public resource” and calling for a 50 percent tax on AI companies to fund a sov...
Market Commentary: Risk Premium: Gone or Just Hiding?
Key Market Insights Macro: Dollar Up, Stocks Down The U.S. dollar moved higher today, creating another headwind for American exports. A stronger dollar mak...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.315/bushel, down $0.09 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $5.8725/bushel, down $0.1575 from yesterday's close.&n...
Australia's Wheat Crop Is Set to Decline, but Russia Remains the Key to Global Wheat Prices
Key Takeaways: Australia's wheat crop is expected to decline sharply in 2026/27 as dry conditions and high input costs reduce planted area and yield poten...
Black Sea Regional Analysis
Russian Grain Market, 25-29 May 2026 Russian grain markets remained firm across most of European Russia last week, while activity in Asian regions was more...
Wolf Joins WPI Team as Director of Commodity Intelligence
World Perspectives, Inc. welcomes Steve Wolf as Director of Commodity Intelligence. Steve brings a broad range of agribusiness, commodity market, and consu...
Tariffs II Messaging; Interstate Trade War; Oh Canada
Tariffs II Messaging President Trump’s use of IEPPA as the legal basis for last year’s reciprocal tariffs was struck down but they are returnin...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.405/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.03/bushel, down $0.0575 from yesterday's close.&nb...
Market Commentary: Technical Pressure, Crude Oil Decoupling Drive CBOT Selling
What You Need to Know Today: The USTR says Brazil has committed “unreasonable” acts against global trade rules and is recommending at 25 perce...
Beef Supply and Demand Issues
Beef prices hit record highs in April 2026, and that is in large part due to robust consumer demand. Despite economic pressures on consumers, there i...
Cellulosic Ethanol Fell Short of Expectations, but New Opportunities Are Emerging
Key Takeaways: The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 set a goal of producing 16 billion gallons of cellulosic ethanol annually by 2022, but act...
China Market Analysis
Corn The U.S. has yet to ship any corn to China, though last year’s sales were a paltry 32 KMT. Soybeans U.S. soybean export inspections for Ma...
Middle East, Mediterranean, and Africa Regional Analysis
Mediterranean/Middle East/North Africa/Africa – MENA Region Pakistan has made “major amendments” to its biosafety regulations that it say...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins improved to -$200/head last week, up $57 from the prior week as the Choice cutout strengthened while fed cattle prices moved lower. The...
Market Commentary: Bears Control CBOT at Least Until Weather Market Forms
What You Need to Know Today: U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent said Friday that the U.S. has seized $1b of Iranian crypto assets. Iran’s IGGC sa...
Key Factors that Sparked Brazil’s Growth into an Agricultural Powerhouse
Key Takeaways: Acidity: Brazil’s agricultural production rose significantly after agricultural researchers were able to reduce soil acidity in the Ce...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.44/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.0875/bushel, down $0.0175 from yesterday's close.&...
Game of Chicken; Turnberry Precedent
Game of Chicken The U.S. and Mexico just completed an initial round of bilateral negotiations leading up to completing a joint review of the U.S. Mexico Ca...
Poultry and Egg Markets Weighed Against HPAI
From the monthly cold storage report it is interesting to look at the poultry numbers and changes due to HPAI that has been plaguing the sector to some deg...
Mercosur Regional Analysis
Argentina Export Tax Reform The Argentine government announced a new long-term schedule for reducing export taxes ("retenciones"), one of the main policy t...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds reducing net long positions across most of the major ag futures contracts for the third straight week. Funds reduce...
Market Commentary: Risk-off tone hits grains and livestock
What You Need to Know Today: Agricultural commodities were mostly lower on the day, with red-hot soyoil a notable exception. Export sales were a bit unde...